


'Fuck You' - 'I Don't Understand'

by rainbowchristy



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, British Sign Language, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Mugging, Mute Dan Howell, Phil's a sweetheart who can't sign, Selectively Mute Dan Howell, Sign Language, Strangers to Lovers, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-12
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2020-07-12 15:57:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19948909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbowchristy/pseuds/rainbowchristy
Summary: Prompt: (Dan is A and Phil is B) Soulmate AU where the first words your soulmate says to you are on your wrist- person A is worried that person B won’t have any words because A is mute/worried they won’t hear the words because they’re deaf but then the words turn out to just be said to each other in sign language (B is translator maybe?) or B doesn’t realise what the sign language means and A is sad because B said their words and shows B the wrist and B shows their wrist like “but you haven’t said anything to me” and A is excited because what they signed is written on B’s wrist.





	'Fuck You' - 'I Don't Understand'

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Swearing, Mild Assault (Attempted Mugging).

In a world where soulmate's first words were written on their wrists, being deaf and/or mute was soul-crushing - get it? Unfortunately for Dan, he was one of these unfortunate people. At the age of four, he was diagnosed with selective mutism.

After years and years of therapy sessions and appointments, Dan was able to whisper to his mum. This in itself was a big step but for everyone else, he was still ‘stupid Howell’. He grew up with people thinking he was too stupid to know how to speak. Obviously, this wasn’t true and he knew that, not to mention his report card. However, people still refused to think of ‘the mute kid’ as smart.

Dan was thirteen when he first learnt about soulmates. He knew what they were, obviously, but didn’t really understand how they worked. The words written on his wrist were the words his soulmate would first say to him. His soulmate would say ‘fuck you’ when they first meet? And what does his soulmate’s tattoo say? He doesn’t talk so how could it say anything?

These thoughts plagued Dan’s mind and sent him into a depressive spiral. He felt guilty for not being able to talk. His soulmate would think they don’t have a soulmate and it’s all his fault. It was rare but soulmate-less people were born and Dan’s soul mate would think they were one of them.

Still, Dan continued his life as normal. Despite his guilt, he got up, went to school and got good grades. That’s what he did every day because that was what was expected of him.

“Bear, dinner’s ready,” his mother called from the staircase. Dan couldn't acknowledge it since his mother couldn’t see him but dragged himself downstairs anyway.

“How was your day?” his dad asked from the dinner table.

‘Good. How about you?’

“Decent. Your brother has some news to share,” he stated. Everyone’s eyes went to him which implied only he and their father knew.

“I found my soulmate today,” he shared. At the news, Dan’s mother lit up and rushed over to hug him.

“Oh, sweetie! That’s wonderful! What’s her name? When do we get to meet her?” she gushed, smothering James.

“Her names Katelyn and I’m not sure. We did only just meet.”

Dan sunk into his chair at the mention of soulmates. His brother was twelve, he was seventeen and his soulmate was nowhere in sight.

  
~~~~

Dan walked the streets of the mall alone. He needed to get some shopping done and so, he walked in and out of stores, gathering the things he required. He walked passed an alleyway, in which, a young man appeared to be getting robbed.

Dan, for no reason, in particular, stepped in. Usually, he would just walk by and pretend he never saw anything but something was pulling him towards the unfortunate stranger.

Dan walked, head held high, and shoved the man. Luckily, he was alone but now Dan was closer, he did look a lot stronger than him.

“Who the fuck are you?!” the man screamed. Dan ignored him; he didn’t think the guy would wait for him to write down his response anyway. He stood powerfully in front of the other man and protected him. The robber, deciding it was no longer worth it, stalked away, whispering ‘stupid fag’ under his breath.

‘Fuck you,’ the boy signed to him. Why did he know sign language? And more importantly, why was he saying that. Shouldn’t he be saying ‘thank you’? Wait a minute, Dan’s mark read those words. It was the first words your soulmate says to you but no rule ever specified they had to be verbally spoken.

Dan, assuming the man was fluent in sign language, signed ‘I don’t understand’. The boy in front of him looked confused before deciding to speak with his voice.

“I have no idea what you just said, sorry. You’re Dan Howell. We go to the same school. I knew you were mute so I thought I’d sign thank you to you instead of saying it. It’s like the only thing I know in BSL, though.” He explained.

‘I’m mute, not deaf. I can hear perfectly fine.’ He wrote.

“I know. It’s just, I’m starting to learn basic sign language so I thought it might make you more comfortable,” he rushed out, already blushing.

‘I’m sorry to tell you but you signed fuck you, not thank you.’

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean that.”

‘This might be really forward of me but I think you might be my soulmate. You signed ‘fuck you’ and that’s my mark.’ Once the not-so-fluent-in-BSL man finished reading, Dan raised his sleeve for them to read.

The other showed his mark to reveal ‘I don’t understand’ written in italic, black letters. “But you haven’t said anything to me,” he noted.

Dan gasped when he read the words on the other’s wrist. Not only were they soulmates, but he actually had a mark. ‘That’s what I said,’ was quickly written on the page and turned to him.

“What’s what you said?”

‘I said ‘I don’t understand’. That’s what I signed to you before I got my notes out,’ he explained.

“Oh,” was all he said. “Well, I guess we are soulmates then. It’s nice to meet you, the name’s Phil,” he greeted, smiling widely as he held out his hand.

Dan flung himself at the other and engulfed him in a hug. He’d been waiting seventeen and a half years to be held in these arms, he wasn’t waiting any longer.

‘I’m so glad I met you,’ He wrote.

“I’m gonna have to learn to sign properly,” Phil pointed out, not sounding sad or annoyed about it.

‘Well, for starters, thank you is this,’ he wrote. Once Phil finished reading the note, he looked to Dan as he signed ‘thank you’. Phil copied his movement and nodded.

“I knew that. It’s not my fault being polite and throwing insults are so similar,” he laughed, Dan joining in. They spent the rest of the afternoon together and within a month, Dan had moved in with Phil in his flat.

Despite all of Dan’s worries of being mute, everything worked out in the end. With Phil, everything always worked out in the end.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it! Constructive criticism is always welcome.


End file.
